Are New England Patriots fans more confident about this season than they were midway through the 2019 campaign?
The idea seems ludicrous, given the absence of Tom Brady, but don’t tell that to the most routinely off-the-mark talking head in sports media.
Of course, we’re talking about “First Things First” co-host Nick Wright, whose New England Patriots takes rarely are good and regularly are terrible. That trend continued Tuesday when Wright suggested Patriots fans feel better about their chances with Cam Newton at quarterback instead of Brady.
“Patriot fans, if they are being honest with themselves, are more optimistic about quarterback play this year than they were in November of last season,” Wright confidently asserted. “Maybe going into last season they were super optimistic, but once you saw a dozen games of the 2019 Patriots, you said, ‘Man, we gotta score on defense, we gotta block a punt, our offense can’t move the ball through the air.’
“My guess is Patriots fans are a little bit more bullish about their ability to win high-scoring shootouts, which they had no ability for last year.”
"Patriot fans, if they are being honest with themselves, are more optimistic about quarterback play this year than they were in Nov. of las season." — @getnickwright pic.twitter.com/ITGjoZYS4B
— First Things First (@FTFonFS1) July 14, 2020
Are there some Patriots fans who prescribe to Wright’s ideology? Sure, but the overwhelming majority is worried about New England’s prospects in a post-Brady world. Many fans wonder whether the shakeup on offense, coupled with health on the offensive line and the hopeful development of a player like N’Keal Harry, could lead to more success, but that’s more a product of curiosity than optimism. The reality is no fan knows what to expect this season, because it will be the first without Brady on the roster in 20 years.
Speak for yourself, Nick.
